Electrical-cable shielding

Abstract

An electrical-cable transition, where two or more bundles of shielded cables divide from a shielded main bundle, is shielded from electromagnetic interference by a flexible shielding-element of bare or covered metal mesh wrapped round the transition to overlap or be overlapped by shielding of the branch bundles and interconnect electrically with it under straps. The flexible element may be an end-pad of wrapped shielding of the main bundle that envelops the shielded branch bundles and is closed onto them. Alternatively, it may be a separate shielding element that is clamped by a clip or strap onto the shielding of the main bundle to sandwich folded-tags drawn out from the ends of the branch-bundle shields, onto a metal ring or collar through which the main-bundle cables pass before separating into the branch bundles. The separate element is closed tightly onto the individual branch bundles by draw-strings, ties or other fasteners.

1. A method of providing an electrical-cable transition in which a shielded bundle of cables of a cabling run is divided into at least two branch bundles from a main bundle, each of the branch bundles and the main bundle having shielding means for shielding against electromagnetic interference, and continuity of shielding of the cabling run against electromagnetic interference is maintained through the electrical-cable transition by the method comprising: a step of wrapping a flexible shielding element around the branch bundles and the main bundle to envelop them all together at the electrical-cable transition, the flexible shielding element being wrapped around each of the branch bundles in an overlapping relationship with the shielding means of the branch bundles, the overlapping relationship in respect of each the branch bundles comprising one of overlapping the shielding means of the respective branch bundles and being overlapped by individual shielding means of the respective branch bundles; and the step of establishing an electrical interconnection of the flexible shielding element with the individual shielding means of each of the branch bundles to interconnect the shielding means of each of the branch bundles with the shielding means of the main bundle; and the flexible shielding element is an elongate flexible tape that is wrapped widthwise round the branch bundles at the electrical-cable transition with longitudinal margins of the tape overlapping one another, the tape comprising a mesh of electrically-conductive strands with some of those strands running longitudinally of the tape, and retaining the tape wrapped around the branch bundles as aforesaid with the mesh providing a closed electrical-circuit encirclement of the branch bundles via the overlapping margins of the tape. 
   
   
     2. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing shielding of the main bundle, via the flexible shielding element, before division of the branch bundles from the main bundle at the electrical-cable transition as well as enveloping the main bundle and the branch bundles at the electrical-cable transition. 
   
   
     3. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing the main bundle with an individual shielding means separate from the flexible shielding element, and establishing the electrical interconnection between the shielding means of the main bundle, the shielding means of the individual branch bundles and the flexible shielding element. 
   
   
     4. The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising the step of wrapping the flexible shielding element around the main bundle to extend the overlapping relationship of the flexible shielding element to include one of overlapping the shielding means of the main bundle and being overlapped by the individual shielding means of the main bundle. 
   
   
     5. The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising the step of clamping the flexible shielding element individually to each of the branch bundles and the main bundle. 
   
   
     6. The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising the step of clamping the shielding mean of the mains bundle and the shielding means of the individual branch bundles all together with the flexible shielding element at the electrical-cable transition. 
   
   
     7. The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising the step of effecting clamping of the shielding means of the main bundle and the shielding means of the individual branch bundles all together with the flexible shielding element by clamping means for encircling and tightening onto the shielding element and the shielding means of the main bundle and the shielding means of the individual branch bundles. 
   
   
     8. The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising the step of folding the flexible shielding element back over the clamping means to extend away from the main bundle. 
   
   
     9. The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising the step of clamping, with the clamping means, the shielding element and the shielding means of the main bundle and the shielding means of the individual branch bundles against an underlying member, and the underlying member comprises one of a rigid member and a resilient member. 
   
   
     10. The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising the step of extending at least one cable of the main bundle through the underlying member, and the underlying member comprises one of a ring and a collar. 
   
   
     11. The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising the step of extending the shielding means of the branch bundles as tags, and sandwiching and clamping the tags, the shielding of the main bundle and the flexible shielding element together in electrical contact with one another. 
   
   
     12. The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising the step of establishing, by flying leads, the electrical interconnection between the shielding means of the main bundle and the shielding means of the branch bundles and the flexible shielding element. 
   
   
     13. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of using a woven mesh of electrically-conductive strands as the flexible tape. 
   
   
     14. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of shielding each of the branch bundles by wrapping a further elongate flexible tape widthwise around the branch bundle with the longitudinal margins of the further tape overlapping one another, the further tape comprising a mesh of electrically-conductive strands with at least some of those strands running longitudinally of the further tape, and retaining the further tape wrapped around the respective branch bundle as aforesaid with the mesh providing the closed electrical-circuit encirclement of the respective branch bundle via the overlap of the margins of the further tape. 
   
   
     15. The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising the step of wrapping the further flexible tape widthwise around each of the individual branch bundles comprises a woven mesh of electrically-conductive strands. 
   
   
     16. An electrical-cable transition in which a shielded bundle of cables of a cabling run is divided into at least two branch bundles from a main bundle, each of the branch bundles and the main bundle having shielding means for shielding against electromagnetic interference, wherein the electrical-cable transition comprises: a flexible shielding element wrapped around the branch bundles and the main bundle to envelop them all together as one at the electrical-cable transition, the flexible shielding element being wrapped around each of the branch bundles in an overlapping relationship with the shielding means of the branch bundles at the electrical-cable transition, the overlapping relationship in respect of each of the branch bundle comprising one of overlapping the shielding means of the respective branch bundles and being overlapped by the individual shielding means of the respective branch bundles; and electrical interconnection means to electrically interconnect the flexible shielding element with the individual shielding means of the branch bundles for maintaining continuity through the electrical-cable transition of shielding of the cabling run against electromagnetic interference; the flexible shielding element comprises an elongate flexible tape that is wrapped widthwise around the bundles at the electrical-cable transition with the longitudinal margins of the tape overlapping one another, the tape comprising a mesh of electrically-conductive strands with some of those strands running longitudinally of the tape, and the tape is retained wrapped around the bundles as aforesaid with the mesh providing a closed electrical-circuit encirclement of them via the overlapped margins of the tape. 
   
   
     17. The electrical-cable transition according to  claim 16 , wherein the flexible shielding element provides shielding of the main bundle before division of the branch bundles from the main bundle at the electrical-cable transition as well as enveloping the main bundle and the branch bundles at the electrical-cable transition. 
   
   
     18. The electrical-cable transition according to  claim 16 , wherein the main bundle has individual shielding means separate from the flexible shielding element, and the electrical interconnection is established between the shielding means of the main bundle, the shielding means of the individual branch bundles and the flexible shielding element. 
   
   
     19. The electrical-cable transition according to  claim 18 , wherein the flexible shielding element is wrapped a round the main bundle to extend the overlapping relationship of the flexible shielding element to include one of overlapping the shielding means of the main bundle and being overlapped by the individual shielding means of the main bundle. 
   
   
     20. The electrical-cable transition according to  claim 18 , wherein the flexible shielding element is clamped individually to each of the branch bundles and the main bundle. 
   
   
     21. The electrical-cable transition according to  claim 18 , wherein the shielding means of the main bundle and the shielding means of the individual branch bundles are all clamped together with the flexible shielding element at the electrical-cable transition. 
   
   
     22. The electrical-cable transition according to  claim 21 , wherein clamping means clamps the shielding means of the main bundle and the shielding means of the individual branch bundles all together with the flexible shielding element, the clamping means encircling and tightening onto the shielding element and the shielding means of the main bundle and the shielding means of the individual branch bundles. 
   
   
     23. The electrical-cable transition according to  claim 22 , wherein the flexible shielding element folds back over the clamping means to extend away from the main bundle. 
   
   
     24. The electrical-cable transition according to  claim 21 , wherein a clamping means comprises means for clamping the shielding element and the shielding means of the main bundle and the shielding means of the individual branch bundles against an underlying member, and the underlying member comprises one of a rigid member and a resilient member. 
   
   
     25. The electrical-cable transition according to  claim 24 , wherein the one of the rigid and the resilient member is one of a ring and a collar through which cables of the main bundle pass to the branch bundles. 
   
   
     26. The electrical-cable transition according to  claim 21 , wherein the shielding means of the branch bundles are extended as tags, and a clamping means sandwiches the tags, the shielding means of the main bundle and the flexible shielding element together in electrical contact with one another. 
   
   
     27. The electrical-cable transition according to  claim 18 , wherein flying leads electrically interconnect the shielding means of the main bundle, the shielding means of the branch bundles and the flexible shielding element together. 
   
   
     28. The electrical-cable transition according to  claim 16 , wherein the flexible tape comprises a woven mesh of electrically-conductive strands. 
   
   
     29. The electrical-cable transition according to  claim 16 , wherein each of the branch bundles is shielded by a further elongate flexible tape that is wrapped widthwise around the bundle with longitudinal margins of the further tape overlapping one another, the further tape comprising a mesh of electrically-conductive strands with some of those strands running longitudinally of the further tape, and the further tape is retained wrapped round the respective branch bundle as aforesaid with the mesh providing a closed electrical-circuit encirclement of the respective branch bundle via the overlapping margins of the further tape. 
   
   
     30. The electrical-cable transition according to  claim 29 , wherein the further flexible tape wrapped widthwise around each individual branch bundle comprises a woven mesh of electrically-conductive strands.